October 29, 2020

29Oct

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Coronavirus update: Stanislaus posts worst daily positive rate in 5 weeks

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County had its highest daily positive rate in five weeks Wednesday, an unwelcome number at a time when business owners hope for looser rules. The county also reported another death, bringing the total to 399 residents since the pandemic began.

 

This Turlock candidate spent $21,000 campaigning. How much have others paid this election?

Modesto Bee

One Turlock City Council District 2 candidate has spent nearly $21,000 campaigning this election season, financial disclosure statements show, far outpacing the incumbent, her fellow challenger and spending in the 2018 midterms.

 

Large field competes for Ceres City Council; many newcomers, one incumbent in field

Modesto Bee

Eight candidates are running for two available seats, making the race for District 3 and District 4 highly competitive this year. The crowded field includes one incumbent, one scion from a Central Valley political dynasty and many newcomers to the political process.

 

High school coaches vie for Ceres mayor; one long on experience, one new to politics

Modesto Bee

After 17 years of uncontested mayoral races, Ceres residents will choose between two men who have both coached high school football but otherwise have vastly different political experience.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno County native named interim president at Fresno State, effective Jan. 4

Fresno Bee

Fresno State has named an interim president. Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval has been appointed to replace president Joseph I. Castro,​​ who is leaving the university in January to head up the 23-campus Calif State University System as chancellor.

See also:

 

Coronavirus: Fresno County avoids restrictive tier; national cases spiking

Fresno Bee

Fresno County on Tuesday was able to maintain its designation under Calif’s Blue Print for a Safer Economy, meaning restaurants, churches and other businesses, such as gyms, will continue to offer indoor limited services.

See also:

 

COVID-19: Infections driven by social and religious gatherings in Tulare County

Visalia Times Delta

An increase in Tulare County COVID-19 infections attributed to social gatherings, religious services, and travel is holding back the local economy to move from the state's most restrictive tier, local health officials said.

 

Fresno County ballot returns continue to break records. Here’s where they stand

Fresno Bee

Registered voters in Fresno County have returned 166,478 ballots through Tuesday morning and the number of registered voters jumped in the past month in what has been a record-breaking year.

See also:

 

Fresno County secures $15 million to turn former hotel into housing for homeless

abc30

Fresno County has secured $15.3 million from the state to purchase and convert the Hotel Fresno, formerly known as the Smuggler's Inn at Blackstone and Dakota, into permanent housing for the homeless.

 

Calif Democrat was anonymous officer at center of Fresno City audit, emails show

Fresno Bee

A cache of Fresno City records obtained by the Republican Party resolves a question left unanswered by an audit published last year scrutinizing the finances of a nonprofit organization formerly led by a Democratic congressman.

 

SVMC Board of Directors review changes to bylaws: Public expresses fear about board election

Porterville Recorder

During the Sierra View Medical Center Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday evening, a discussion was had among the board regarding the changing of the board’s bylaws.

 

'We couldn't stand it any more': why disaffection with Devin Nunes is growing among his constituents

The Guardian

Paul Buxman remembers how excited he was to meet his new congressman, Devin Nunes, when Nunes showed up at his organic fruit farm in Calif’s central valley in the early 2000s.

 

Warszawski: Most expensive House race in Calif is in the Valley, as our mailboxes show

Fresno Bee

You’ll be able to open your mailbox without having to wade past political mailers. Sitting through commercials during football games and the local news won’t involve a bombardment of accusations, most of them between congressional candidates who aren’t on your ballot.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

BCSD passes resolution in support of Prop. 15, becoming the largest Kern district in support

Bakersfield Califn

Tuesday night, trustees of the BCSD unanimously passed a resolution in support of Proposition 15, a proposition on Tuesday's ballot that seeks to amend 1978's Proposition 13. That makes BCSD the largest school district in the county to back the proposition.

 

First High-Speed Rail Structure in Kern County Completed

High Speed Rail

Calif High-Speed Rail Authority announced the completion of Poso Creek Viaduct in Kern County, the first completed structure in the 22-mile segment of high-speed rail from the Tulare-Kern county line to Poplar Avenue in Kern County known as Construction Package 4.

 

ACLU: Kern supervisors violated group's free speech in denying contract

Bakersfield Califn

Kern County Board of Supervisors violated the First Amendment when it declined to vote on a contract to a local community group to do COVID-19 education in disadvantaged communities because of political views expressed by the group, the ACLU of Southern Calif alleges.

 

State:

 

Video: Californians and Their Government

PPIC

The top two issues on the minds of Californians are COVID-19 and jobs and the economy,​​ according to the latest PPIC statewide survey.

 

How big is Biden’s Calif lead? + Newsom’s pumpkins + Becerra fights student visa changes

Fresno Bee

Democrat Joe Biden has always been expected to win Calif in the presidential election, but the latest poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies shows that his victory margin may set a new record.

 

24 Hour Fitness COO touts COVID-19 protocols; asks Calif leaders to ease restrictions

Sac Bee

24 Hour Fitness Chief Operating Officer Karl Sanft gave state and local officials a guided tour of the chain’s downtown Sac location Wednesday, highlighting the facility’s COVID-19 provisions while asking policymakers to consider easing capacity restrictions.

 

Calif's most intense campaign: The private pursuit of Harris' Senate seat

Politico

The colorful former Democratic congressman and state legislative leader nodded toward what looms as the biggest appointment of Newsom's career — replacing Harris for possibly decades in the Senate.

 

Opinion: How Calif is failing vulnerable victims of systemic racism

Wash Post

Calif is known for its progressive stance on racial justice. In September, it became the first state to adopt a law seeking a path​​ to reparations for slavery.

 

Federal:

 

Trump Administration Releases Plan to Ensure Coronavirus Vaccines Are Free

WSJ

Seniors and people in private health-insurance plans are among those who won’t be charged for getting a coronavirus vaccine under a Trump administration rule designed to ensure that as many people as possible get vaccinated once a shot becomes available.

See also:

 

Pelosi Says Details of Coronavirus Package Could Change After Election

WSJ

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday the coronavirus relief plan she has been discussing with the White House could morph in the lame-duck session of Congress, absent any formal agreement on its details and shifting incentives for both parties after the election.

See also:

 

Lawsuit says census takers were pressured to falsify data

Bakersfield Califn

The U.S. Census Bureau claimed it reached 99.9% of households when the 2020 census ended 2 weeks ago because census takers were pressured to falsify data as the agency cut corners and slashed standards, according to a lawsuit from advocacy groups and local govts.

 

Ex-Homeland Security aide Miles Taylor says he wrote ‘Anonymous’ op-ed blasting Trump

LA Times

A former Trump administration official who penned a scathing anti-Trump op-ed and book under the pen name “Anonymous” revealed himself Wednesday as a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security.

 

Administration plans to nominate bipartisan pair to hobbled FEC

Roll Call

After leaving so many vacancies at the Federal Election Commission that it couldn’t even hold meetings for most of the 2020 campaign cycle, the Trump administration said Wednesday it planned to nominate a bipartisan pair to the hobbled agency.

 

DORSEY in hot seat as SENATE grills TECH CEOs — POLL: Voters fear 'violence' after election — GOOGLE hire TAYLOR is ‘Anonymous’ — TRUMP hits Calif mask rules

Politico

Silicon Valley has weathered intense political pressure this presidential cycle, and the small-d democratic stakes are high. Voters increasingly form their views based on what they see from a small cluster of Calif-born companies that dominate the information economy.

See also:

 

Coronavirus Trackers:

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Calif

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.

See also:

 

Elections 2020:

 

 

Fresno County ballot returns continue to break records. Here’s where they stand

Fresno Bee

Registered voters in Fresno County have returned 166,478 ballots through Tuesday morning and the number of registered voters jumped in the past month in what has been a record-breaking year.

See also:

 

BCSD passes resolution in support of Prop. 15, becoming the largest Kern district in support

Bakersfield Califn

Tuesday night, trustees of the BCSD unanimously passed​​ resolution in support​​ of Proposition 15, a proposition on Tuesday's ballot that seeks to amend 1978's Proposition 13. That makes BCSD the largest school district in the county to back the proposition.

 

Cash blitz: Who’s spending the most to influence your vote for Calif’s Legislature?

CalMatters

State law caps the amount donors can give to a legislator’s campaign — but these special interests can spend as much as they like mounting their own campaigns to praise or trash candidates.

See also:

 

Ward Connerly: Anti-affirmative action leader calls Proposition 16 effort to ‘reshape’ power in Calif

EdSource

Twenty-four years after he led efforts that banned affirmative action in Calif, former UC Regent Ward Connerly is dismissive of the idea that those efforts are his legacy.

 

Environmentalists oppose Uber, Lyft on Calif’s gig worker initiative. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Several major environmental groups such as the Sierra Club Calif are urging a no vote against Prop 22, saying the ballot measure over the future of gig workers could stifle the state’s fight against climate change.

 

Walters: Voters face three union-business conflicts

CalMatters

The Capitol’s most enduring conflict pits Calif business interests against a quartet of liberal factions — unions, environmental groups, consumer advocates and personal injury attorneys.

 

Column: Elephant in the room: Calif GOP needs a Trump loss to move forward

San Diego Union-Tribune

It’s a stark reality when a state political party likely would be better off if its incumbent president lost re-election, but that’s where the Calif GOP finds itself today.

 

To win, Trump must focus on the economy in campaign’s remaining days

Roll Call

When half the American people approve of a president’s handling of the economy, that president should have an election edge.

See also:

 

Trump’s attacks on political adversaries are often followed by threats to their safety

Wash Post

The CIA’s most endangered employee for much of the past year was not an operative on a mission abroad, but an analyst who faced a torrent of threats after filing a whistleblower report that led to the impeachment of President Trump.

 

Indian Americans’ votes and dollars are increasingly coveted in presidential campaigns

LA Times

The day after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden named Sen. Kamala Harris of Calif as his running mate, Mona Mangat donated to his campaign.

 

Where We Go from Here

National Review

It is possible that Joe Biden hurt himself enough with his daft utopian talk of “transitioning” (what a funny recent career that word has had) Pennsylvania’s energy jobs into oblivion to cost himself the election.

 

EDITORIAL:​​ Trump’s COVID infection spotlighted a problem: What happens if a president-elect dies?

LA Times

President​​ Trump’s brief hospitalization earlier this​​ month for COVID-19 treatment spawned a flurry of “what if” discussions that, incongruously enough, proved to be a good thing for the country.

 

Commentary: The Biden/Trump divide on climate and energy policies

AEI

I betray no secret when I note that Donald Trump is not a man of policy sophistication. It is obvious that he is uninterested even in details that are crucial; instead, he goes with his “gut,” that is, his instincts, which often are sound but sometimes are dreadful.

 

The 13 Races That Will Determine The Senate Majority

VPR

Republicans hold the Senate 53-47. (There are two independents — Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont — but they caucus with Democrats and therefore should be counted that way in the math for Senate control.)

 

Elections department prepares as election draws near

Hanford Sentinel

Less than a week to go before the Nov. 3 general election, Kings County elections department is ready for its busiest time of the year. Lupe Villa, Kings County registrar of voters, gave an election status update to the Kings County Board of Supervisors during its meeting Tuesday.

See also:

 

Other:

 

A Partisan Future for Local News?

NY Times

Local news in America has long been widely trusted, and widely seen as objective. But as traditional local papers struggle, there have been attempts across the political spectrum to create more partisan outlets.

See also:

 

Is Twitter Going Full Resistance? Here’s the Woman Driving the Change.

Politico

On a late fall day last year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sat down on a couch on the company’s SF roof deck and dug into a problem.

See also:

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, November 1, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "The November 2020 Propositions" - Guest: Ben Christopher, CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “Election Propositions” - Guests: Jessica Trounstine, UC Merced; Greg Soydemir, Stanislaus State; Lisa Bryant, Fresno State; Ivy Cargile, CSU Bakersfield; Mary Roaf, Stanislaus State; Sebastian Sclofsky, Stanislaus State. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Modesto’s Gallo looks to wine country to launch its new premium brandy tasting room

Modesto Bee

E.&J. Gallo Winery is set to open the Calif Brandy House, a tasting room for the company’s premium artisan brands of the wine-based spirit made in the state. The new tasting room will be opened in downtown Napa on Nov. 6.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Law firm demands Diocese of Fresno publicly name accused priests as other dioceses

Fresno Bee

Pressure is mounting for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno to publicly name priests who have been accused of sexual​​ misconduct as other dioceses have done.

 

Change could be around the corner for BPD after committee holds first 'listening session'

Bakersfield Califn

The first “listening session” to hear community concerns regarding the BPD took place on Wed. For more than an hour, an independent committee heard statements that ranged from broad support of law enforcement to calls for the complete abolishment of the department.

 

Public Safety:

 

Do Fresno’s police reform ideas go too far? Far enough? Here are the new recommendations

Fresno Bee

The Fresno commission on police reform has made 73 recommendations for the Fresno Police Department related to everything from requiring officers on school campuses to deadly use of force.

See also:

 

Turlock police will start using bodycams Thursday, with some intriguing features

Modesto Bee

TPD joins law enforcement agencies in Stanislaus County and beyond in adopting a technology with two key purposes. One is to help gather evidence of crimes. The other is to build trust with the public.

 

Fire:

 

Creek Fire update: Fire grows by more than 4,000 acres; FEMA warns of scams

Fresno Bee

The Creek Fire has grown by 4,235 acres as of Wednesday morning, compared to the from the previous day — burning a total of 378,701 acres since the fire ignited last month, U.S. Forest Service reported.

 

SQF Complex containment lines hold despite strong winds, 'phase one' cleanup to begin Nov. 3

Visalia Times Delta

Despite record gusts sparking a red flag fire warning across much of the Golden State, containment lines along the SQF Complex in the southern Sierra Nevada held strong, fire managers announced Wednesday.

 

Calmer Calif winds help firefighters beat back 2 blazes

Bakersfield Califn

Calmer weather on Wednesday helped firefighters beat back two wildfires that drove nearly 100,000 Southern Califns from their homes amid fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Last Report Card On U.S. Economy Before Elections Will Be A Blockbuster

VPR

The Commerce Department is expected to report on Thursday record-setting growth in gross domestic product during the most recent quarter, reflecting pent-up demand as businesses reopened and consumers streamed back into the marketplace.

See also:

 

Dow drops 900+ points as global COVID-19 cases rise, areas order new lockdowns

abc30

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 943 points Wednesday as surging coronvirus cases in the U.S. and Europe threaten more business shutdowns and pain for the economy. The S&P 500 dropped 3.5%, its third straight loss.

See also:

 

COVID-19 devastated Calif’s small businesses. Here are three that didn’t survive

LA Times

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced nonessential businesses to temporarily shut down across Southern Calif, the LA Times invited readers to send in the names of businesses in their areas that had failed as a result.

 

Jobs:

 

CVS to hire 15,000 workers to help with anticipated COVID-19 vaccine as it prepares for 'twindemic'

abc30

CVS Health is actively recruiting people to fill 15,000 new and existing positions to help during flu season and administer the much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine, when it is ready.

 

Weekly unemployment claims dip slightly in last report before election

Wash Post

Another 751,000 people applied for jobless claims last week, down about 40,000 from the week before, in what is the final unemployment report released before the election.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Fresno-area district changes graduation requirements. Teachers didn’t have much say

Fresno Bee

The controversial decision to lower graduation requirement credits to 230 vs. the previous 280 credits was approved during Tuesday night’s school board meeting. It passed 5-0 with Trustee Jason Paul abstaining.

 

A look at Central Unified's new Justin Garza High School, ready Fall 2021

Fresno Bee

Central Unified School District is currently building its next high school, named Justin Garza High School, expected to be ready August 2021. Recorded Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 in Fresno.

 

Sanger schools reopen next week: ‘I’ve never experienced a situation so divisive’

Fresno Bee

Division, backlash, and disagreements are at the center of Fresno County’s fourth-largest school district’s​​ decision to send elementary school students back to campuses next week amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

VUSD is creating spaces to support students from different cultures. Here’s why.

Visalia Times Delta

Brandon Gridiron didn’t learn about Black history until he went to college. Gridiron surprised some students after he told them during a recent Visalia Unified School District online event for students interested in supporting Black students and embracing their culture.

 

Visalia teachers protested the school district. Here's what led up to the confrontation.

Visalia Times Delta

Jeff Eastman used to run around his workshop at Redwood High School overseeing his students as they built wood structures. 

 

A new wave of Kern County schools open their campuses to students

Bakersfield Califn

Wednesday wasn't the first official day of school for Bakersfield Christian High School but, aside from the nippy October air, it felt like one.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno County native named interim president at Fresno State, effective Jan. 4

Fresno Bee

Fresno State has named an interim president. Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval has been appointed to replace president Joseph I. Castro, who is leaving the university in January to head up the 23-campus Calif State University System as chancellor.

See also:

 

Restoring affirmative action would lead to white flight from Calif, former UC regent says

Modesto Bee

Leaders of a campaign seeking to repeal Calif’s 1996 ban on affirmative action denounced “offensive” comments about white nationalists and Latinos made by former University of Calif Regent Ward Connerly in a recent news article.

 

Students find new ways to get out the vote amid pandemic

CalMatters

“I think it’s a really important election for democracy and I think young people have a lot at stake when it comes to education, healthcare and a lot of other issues,” said the Palomar College freshman.

See also:

 

Higher Education and Economic Opportunity in Calif

PPIC

Boosting college enrollment and graduation among Latinos, African Americans, and low-income Califns can narrow the state’s economic divide and help meet workforce needs.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

As Climate Disasters Pile Up, a Radical Proposal Gains Traction

NY Times

The idea of modifying Earth’s atmosphere to cool the planet, once seen as too risky to seriously consider, is attracting new money and attention.

 

Energy:

 

How Does Your State Make Electricity?

NY Times

America isn’t making electricity the way it did two decades ago. Now the future of the nation’s energy mix has become a major election issue.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

No Merced County COVID-19 deaths yet reported this week. Active cases, hospitalizations fluctuate

Merced Sun-Star

Merced County Department of Public Health on Wed reported 16 additional laboratory confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus since Tues. The new cases increased the number of county residents having contracted the virus since the pandemic’s beginning to 9,588.

See also:

 

Feeling Anxious About the Election? We Asked A Psychiatrist How To Cope

Capital Public Radio

Feeling stressed about this election? Keith Humphreys is a psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor at Stanford University, and he says it’s perfectly rational and normal to feel anxious about things we can’t control.

 

We’re all making choices in the pandemic. Many of us are lying about them.

Wash Post

On a recent Saturday that Rebecca Wolfe said she spent at home, she was strolling along the beach with a man she met on Hinge — but as far as she’s concerned, her mother doesn’t need to know that.

 

Human Services:

 

CDC pushes back deadline for states on vaccine delivery until after Election Day

Fresno Bee

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a letter to governors this week pushing back a Nov. 1 deadline for states to be ready to receive and distribute coronavirus vaccines until after the presidential election.

 

Fresno, Madera Counties aim to ramp up testing to move to lower tiers

abc30

Two Central Valley counties are focusing on one key factor - more COVID testing to move forward in the tiers. On Tuesday, Madera County health officials changed their suggestions about regular testing after getting disappointing news for another week.

 

Dignity Health and Latino COVID-19 Task Force hosting free COVID-19 testing and flu vaccines

Bakersfield Califn

Dignity Health and the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force are partnering on Thursday to host a free mobile COVID-19 testing site as well as a limited number of flu vaccines.

 

Clinica Sierra Vista offering flu vaccines amid the 2020-21 flu season

Bakersfield Califn

Clinica Sierra Vista is offering flu vaccines in an effort to prevent a rush of flu cases during an overlap of the COVID-19 period and flu season.

 

Stuck-At-Home Moms: The Pandemic's Devastating Toll On Women

VPR

Women are seeing the fabric of their lives unravel during the pandemic. Nowhere is that more visible than on the job. In September, an eye-popping 865,000 women left the U.S. workforce — four times more than men.

See also:

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Migrants quickly expelled by Trump try repeatedly to cross

Bakersfield Califn

Edgar Alexis Lopez looks well-rested in photos he took before crossing the border illegally in mountains east of San Diego, flashing a wide grin in clean jeans.

 

Immigrant Rights Groups Are Concerned Uptick In ICE Arrests Will Add To Public Health Crisis

VPR

Immigrant rights groups are concerned about a recent uptick in arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They said they want transparency in terms of COVID-19 safety procedures.

 

Latino immigrants who’ve survived electoral violence are anxious about Nov. 3

LA Times

“I never thought this could happen here.”  An uneasy sensation eats away at Aldo Waykan, a Guatemalan businessman and translator who does not quite understand what is happening in his adopted United States.

 

Trump Administration Considers Early Biometric Screening for Visa Seekers

WSJ

The White House is developing a plan to create a new biometric database that prospective immigrants or visitors would need to enter before they apply for visas to come to the U.S., according to draft plans reviewed by WSJ and 2 government officials involved.

See also:

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

More ski resorts begin snowmaking in Sierra. Here’s what it looks like

Modesto Bee

With the temperatures dropping in the Sierra Nevada, more ski resorts are firing up their snow-making machines.

 

Housing:

 

Fresno County secures $15 million to turn former hotel into housing for homeless

abc30

Fresno County has secured $15.3 million from the state to purchase and convert the Hotel Fresno, formerly known as the Smuggler's Inn at Blackstone and Dakota, into permanent housing for the homeless.

 

Struggling Rental Market Could Usher in Next American Housing Crisis

WSJ

Fallout from missed rent payments is threatening a swath of the U.S. population, as the expiration of eviction bans draws near.

 

Housing Affordability Crisis Deepens in Fire-Prone Parts of Calif

WSJ

Insurance companies retreated from selling home insurance in wildfire-prone parts of Calif in 2019, new state data shows, making it more difficult and expensive for homeowners in those areas to protect their houses.

 

When Falling Behind on Rent Leads to Jail Time

ProPublica

It was bad enough when Jazmon Allen lost her waitressing job in March at a Hot Springs, Arkansas, barbecue restaurant during statewide closures meant to curb the pandemic.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

U.S. States Face Biggest Cash Crisis Since the Great Depression

WSJ

The drop in tax revenue has led to a total shortfall expected in the hundreds of billions of dollars—greater than 2019’s K-12 education budget for every state combined, or more than twice the amount spent that year on state roads and other transportation infrastructure.

 

IRS releases new income tax brackets for 2021

Fox

The IRS on Monday released the updated tax brackets for the 2021 filing season, which have been modified to reflect inflation.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Fresno State researchers release findings on COVID-19 study with public transportation

abc30

How much of a threat is the coronavirus on public transportation? A team of researchers at Fresno State released the findings of a new study on Wednesday.

See also:

 

First High-Speed Rail Structure in Kern County Completed

High Speed Rail

Calif High-Speed Rail Authority announced the completion of Poso Creek Viaduct in Kern County, the first completed structure in the 22-mile segment of high-speed rail from the Tulare-Kern county line to Poplar Avenue in Kern County known as Construction Package 4.

 

Older Californians can skip DMV trip: New order allows licenses renewals by mail

Fresno Bee

Calif Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday that lets older Califns renew their drivers licenses by mail, allowing them to skip a trip to a DMV office during the coronavirus outbreak.

 

WATER

 

Fresno's one-day watering schedule starts November 1

abc30

The city of Fresno will begin its one-day outdoor watering schedule on November 1. Residents are encouraged to conserve water during the cooler months of the year. Restrictions are for your lawn, garden, pool or anything that requires a large amount of water.

 

“Xtra”

 

First amusement park in Calif reopening under COVID-19 limitations. What to know

Fresno Bee

Months after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, the first amusement park in Calif will be allowed to reopen, officials said.

 

United Way keeps Halloween spirit alive by donating 1,000 books, candy

Hanford Sentinel

On Halloween Day, Saturday, Oct. 31, the United Way of Kern County will be holding its first Family Fall Fest by providing a drive-through event to distribute 1,000 bags with new age-appropriate books to children in our community.

See also:

 

Will Santa make it to Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall this year amid COVID-19 concerns?

Modesto Bee

Yes, Modesto, there will be a Santa Claus at the mall this year. But no, sorry, there will be no sitting on his lap.

 

Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth

Think you can tell the difference between True and False?

Do you really know what is fake news?

 

Support the Maddy Daily

 

HERE

 

Thank you!

 

 

Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of Calif’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                     

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: amyboam@csufresno.edu